Electric-lighting system for automobiles.



D. F. LEONE.

moms ucHrms SYSTEM FOR AUTOMOBILES.

APPLCAHON FILED MAY I], 39". 1,257,618, Patented Feb. 26, 1918 'i l i lu w 1. I I I l I v y I i WM w D. F. LEONE.

ELECT-RIC LIGHH-NG SYSTEM FOR AUTOMOBILES.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 11. 19w.

1 ,25 7, 6 1 8; A Patented Feb. 26, 1918.

' 3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

fnsuZaiL'on D. F. LEONE.

E'LECIRIC LIGHTING SYSTEM FOR AUTOMOBILES.

APPLICAHON FILED MAY 11, 19x1.

1,257,618. Patented Feb. 26, 1918.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

lighted by battery current, in

' neto or UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

DOMNICK F. LEONE, 0F SEATTLE, WASHINGTON.

ELECTRIC-LIGHTING SYSTEM FOR AUTOMOBILES.

Appllcation filed May 17, 1917.

and tail lights or lamps, whereby the controller or switch in being moved to one position will result in the lam 5 being connected in multiple with the littery to be bein moved to another position connectin t e headlights or front lamps in series with the magenerapor, and in'being movedto still allOlifil' position connecting the lamps in series with the battery, whereby to dim the lights.

With the foregoing and other objects in View, which will appear as the description roceeds, the invention resides in the comination and arrangement of parts and in the-fdetails of construction hereinafter described and ;;clai med, it being understood that changes in-the precise embodiment ofthe invention herein disclosed can be made withinthe scope of what is claimed, without departing from the spirit'of the invention.

The invention iSjllglSEljfltQd in the accomp Figui e 12:": diagrammatical view of the controller and electrical connections.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the controller, the cover being s own in section.

Fi 3 is a sectional detail on the line 33 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4- is a sectional detail on the line 44 of Fig. 3. i

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig.1 showing certain modifications in the electrical connections.

Referring particularly to the stem' as shown in'Flg. 1, the numerals 1 an 2 designate the headlights or lamps of the motor vehicle; 3, the atte 4, the magneto or generator;"5, the tail ight or lamp; and 6, the speedometer or dashli'ght or lamp.

The controller embodies an oscillatory switch 7 having the operating lever or handle 7 movable to four different positions Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 26, 1918., Serial No. 189,813.

designated D, M, O, and B, representinghzhe words, dim, magneto, out,. and battery, respectively. The switch 7 has-secured thereto three radially rojecting leaf spring contacts 8, 9 and 10 or controlling the various circuits. The controller is provided around the switch with pairsof contacts 1112, 13--14, 1516, 17-18, 19-20 and 21-22 for the engagement of. the leaf spring contacts or switch members 8, 9 and 10 as will hereinafter more fully up The contacts are so arranged that when the switch is moved to different positions, the

switch members 8, 9 and 10 are properly enga ed with the contacts, said switch members eing out of en gement with the con. tacts when the'switc handle 7 is mov to position O as seen in Fig. 2. The'wi or electrical connections between thecon-" troller and the lamps, battery and ma eto will be obvious from the diagram in 1g. 1, in connection with thefollowing explanation of the circuits.

When the switch handle f is moved to position B whereby the battery 3 supplies the current for the lamps, switch member. 8 engages and bridges contacts ,11 and 12", switch member 9 bridges. contacts 17 and 18,

and switch member 10 bridges contacts 19 three circuits for and-20,- thereby closing connecting the lamps in parallel to distribute the current between them to brilliantly light the lamps in this position of theswitch. One circuit includes the batte 3, conductor 23, contact 19, conductor 2. lamp 2, conductor 25, contact 17, switch member 9, contact.18, and conductor 26 to the other pole of the battery. Another circuit inclu contact 19, switch 10, contact 20, conductor 27, lamp 1, conductor 28, contact 17, switch member'9, contact18, and conductor 6. The other circuit includes the battery conductor 23, contact 11, switch member 8, con- 1c tact 12, ahd conductor 29 in which the lamps 5 and 6 are interposed. Lamps'l, 2 and 56 are therefore connected in parallel, the

lamps 5 and 6-bein in one shunt in series since they are of ess resistance than the lamps 1- and 2. When the switch is returned to position O the circuits .will be opened and the lamps extinguished.

To light the lamps from the magneto or generator 4, the switch handle 7'. is moved to position M, inwhich event the switch member 8 bridges contacts 13 and 14, while es the battery '3, conductor 23, 95

the switch member 10 bridges contacts 21 and 22, the switch member 9 being idle in this position 'of the switch. The magneto circuit includes said magneto 4, conductor 20, contact 21 switch member 10, contact 22, conductor 3 1, conductor 27, lamp 1, conductor 28, conductor 25, lamp 2, conductor 24 contact 19, conductor 23, which is gi-ound ed at 32, and the way of. ground to .t e grbunded terminal of the magneto. The

l mps 1. and 2 are therefore connected in series with the magneto which is capable of supplying greater electrical motive force than the battery. The lamps 5 and 6 are 16 still supplied with battery current in this position of the switch, the circuit including the battery 3, conductor 23, contact 13, switch member 8, contact 11, and conductor 29 including the lamps 5' and 6.

To dim the light, as when approaching or passing another vehicle, or pedestrians, the switch arm 7"is moved to position D whichbringsthe switch member 8 to enent with contacts and 16, while e other switch members 9 and 10 are free from the contacts. All of the lamps, with the exception of the speedometer or dash 1an 1 6, are now connected inscries ylith the ottery, whereby the resistance thus ef 80' fered,-reduces or dims the brilliancy' of the lights. The circuit includes the battery 3,

the conductor 23, contact 19, conductor 24,

lamp 2, conductors 25 and 28, lamp 1, conductor 27, conductor 33, contact 17, switch 85 member 8, contact 15, conductor 34 connected to conductor 29 betweenthe lamps 5 and 6,

and that portion of conductor 29 including the lamp 5 (the lamp 6 being cut out As shown in detail in'F1gs.-2, Bja d 4,

the controller is of'special constructio the I switch 7 being of insulatin having the handle 7, while t e metallic leaf springs or switch members 8, 9" and 10 are secured by rivets or other securin elements with the switch, preferably at t e bottom thereof, and proj ecting radiall The switch 7 is pivoted y means of a ho t 38 or otherwise-,upon a slab or base 39 of insulating material, and is housed together with the contacts, by a cover or cap 40 having out-' turned flange l-secured upon the base or slab. The cover 40 is provided at one side with an opening 42 throu h which the handle 7 projects to be rea ily swun to the 56' several positions above described. he con was 11, 13, 15,17, 19 and 21 are alike, and the others 12, 14, 16, 18, 20 and 22 are .also alike, so that the description of the particular contacts 15 and 16 will apply to 80 each air. The contact 15, as seen in Fi 3 an 4,'comprises the rounded head o a bolt or bindin post 43 engaged downwardly through the s ab 39 for the attachment 'of the FlespectiVe conductor, and the contact 16 embodies a strip 44 of resilient sheet metal "having one terminal secured upon thdslab material and by means of a bolt or binding post 45 engaging downwardly through the slab and preferably havin a countersunk head engaging said strip. '1 e. strip is bent back upwardl as at 46, and its free terminal 47 eaten s downwardly at an an le toward the contact 15 and switch, and t e corners of the terminal 47 are bent upwardly, as at 48, to provide cams, said free terminal of the contact being of V-shape. Thus, when the resilient leaf spring or switch member 8 is moved over the rounded contact or button 15, the free end of the member 8 will be forced under the terminal 47 of the contact 16, thereby depressing the free end of the member 8, while the intermediate portion thereof is bowed upwardly by the contact 15, thus assuring ofa good electrical connection between the contacts. The switch 35 member 8 moves under-theJenninal 47 of the contact 16 over the lower or base terminal thereof. The contact 16 is thus of U- shape, with one terminal secured upon the slab, and its other terminal overhanging the same and bent into V-shape transversely thereof for the engagement of the switch member 8. r

. The spark coil 35 has one terminal connected, as at 36, to the conductors 26 and 29, and its other terminal is grounded, as at 37, whereby said spark coil is su plied with energy at any position of t e controlling. switch, to energize the spark plugs (not shown In t e modification shownin Fi 5,-the lamps 5 and 6 are supplied with e ectrical energy from the magneto instead of the battery, when the switch is in ition M which constitutes the chief di erence. The controller has an additional pair of contacts 19--20' between contacts17-18 and 19-20. When switch 7 is in position B the switch members 8, 9 and 10 will bridge the respective contacts 11'12, 17-18, and 21-22, thereb connecting the lamps in multiple with t e battery. One circuit includes battery 3, conductor'50, contact 11, switch mainber 8, contact 12, conductor 51, lamp 2, conductor 52,'contact 17, switch member 9,

contact 18, and conductor 53. Another circuit includes batteryB, conductor 50, contact 11, switch member 8, contact 12, conductor '54, contact 19', conductor 55, contact 2].,

switch member 10,'contact 22, conductor 51 120 lamp 1, conductor 57, contact .17, member 9, contact 18, and conductor 53. ;,\1A third circuit includes the same connections between the battery 33 and the contact 22,:

and from there includes a conductor 58 'extending to battery 3. and having interposed therein the lamps 5 and 6.

When theswltch is in position M switch members 8 and 9 bridge contacts fi -14, and 1920', respectively, thus connecting the magneto with the lamps in series. One circuit includes magneto 4, conductor 59, contact 13, switch member 8, contact 14, conductor 60, conductor 56, lamp 1, conductors 57 and 52 lamp 2, conductor 54, contact 19, switch member 9, contact 20 and by way of ground back to magneto 4. Another circuit includes the magneto 4, conductor 59, contact 13, switch member 8, contact 14, conductor 60, conductor 61, contact 22, and conductor 58 (including lamps 5 and 6), which conductor is grounded, as at 58.

When the switch is moved to position D, switch members 8 and 9 bridge contacts 15-16 and 1920, respectively, connecting the battery in series with-the lamps, for dimming the lights. The circuit includes the battery 3, conductor 50, contact 15, switch member 8, contact 16, conductor 62, conductor 51, lamp 2, conductors 52-and 57, lamp 1, conductor 56, contact 22, conductor 63, contact 19, switch member 9, contact 20, conductor 64, connected to conductor 58 between lam s 5 and 6, to cut out lamp 6 and portion 0 to round.

fiaving thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is 1. An electric lighting system for auto mobiles including in combination, a plurality of lamps, a battery, a magneto, a controller including a switch movable to battery, magneto, and limming. positions, and electrical connections between the controller and the lamps, magneto and battery,

conductor 58 including lamp 5' said connections being such .that when the switch is moved to battery position the lamps are connected in multiple with the battery, when the switch is moved to magneto position, the lamps are connected in series with the magneto, and when'the switch is moved to dimming position, the lamps are connected in series with the battery.

2. An electric lighting system for automobiles including in' combination, a plurality of lamps, a magneto, a battery, a controller including a plurality of pairs of contacts and a switch having switch members for bridging said contacts at different positions of the switch, theswitch-being movable to batter ma neto and dimmin oy g 7 g P sitions, and electrical connections between said contacts and the lam s, battery and magneto, said connections Being such that when the switch is moved to battery position the lamps are connected in multiple withthc battery, when the switch is moved to magneto position, the lamps are connected in series with the magneto, and when the switch is moved to dimming position, the lamps are connected in series with the battery.

In testimony that-I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto aflixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

' DOMNICK F. LEONE.-

Witnesses B. W. Pam'r, J C. NORMAN. 

